[ubuntu-us-mn] Call for leaders of regions

[Tony Yarusso]

Hey everybody, as you know we've managed to have a couple of events in
the Twin Cities metro area so far, but not as regularly as I'd like
and with absolutely none outstate.  Additionally, with both being in
school and working, I don't have enough spare time to make a fabulous
LoCo emerge all on my own.  Others have very awesomely stepped in in
various ways so far, but not in a particularly structured or permanent
manner (there wasn't one).  In conversations with various people the
general conclusion has been that it would be useful to have
regionally-focused sub-groups within the LoCo that could organize
things with a group of people in a reasonable driving distance from
one another, both making logistics easier and event placement more
fair as well as spreading around the responsibility and effort ("many
hands make light work").  In order to make that happen I envision a
position of "Regional Contact", that would fulfill a similar role to
my own for the state, but on a smaller scale.  Here's the description
of what that would entail as I see it:

Encourage and support team members within your region in all their
Ubuntu-y efforts
Foster communication between people both online and in-person
Arrange for at least one team event per year for your region (you
don't necessarily have to run it yourself - just see that someone does
something - delegation is good), such as an installfest, technical
talk, social event, marketing/promotional event, etc.
Act as a point of contact and coordination for people and efforts
within your region, connecting people interested in doing similar
things, perhaps keeping a list of people volunteering for different
task, relaying information upstream as appropriate, etc.
Be an enthusiastic, cheerful, and positive role model and
representative, welcoming people to our team and helping to grow and
strengthen our user base.

I'd really, really like to see more outstate dots on
https://edge.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-minnesota/+map and activity to go
with it, so the non-metro contacts will have their work cut out for
them!  (Although with the numbers we have in the metro we should have
more to show for it too.)

So, can I get some volunteers?!?  You know you want to - first come
first served!  Find your county in the list below and shoot an e-mail
back letting me know you're up to the challenge.

There are four regions defined currently, all divided along county lines:

Twin Cities Metro:
Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott,
Sherburne, Washington, Wright

South:
Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, CottonWood, Dodge, Faribault,
Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui
Parle, Le Suer, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mower, Murray,
Nicollet, Nobles, Olmsted, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock,
Sibley, Steele, Swift, Wabasha, Waseca, Watowan, WInona, Yellow
Medicine

Northwest:
Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Cass, Clay, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Douglas,
Grant, Hubbard, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall,
Morrison, Norman, Otter Tail, Pennington, Polk, Pope, Red Lake,
Roseau, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Wilkin

Northeast:
Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Mille Lacs,
Pine, St. Louis

If we have takers for both, I'd also consider splitting the Metro into
east-of-the-Mississippi (Anoka, Chisago, Isanti, Ramsey, Sherburne,
Washington) and west-of-the-Mississippi (Carver, Dakota, Hennepin,
Scott, Wright), since we have such a high concentration here, so if
volunteering for the Twin Cities area please specify which side you're
on so I can see if I get a response from both.

Tony Yarusso
http://tonyyarusso.com/